The Path To Finding Better Passports

Nobody wants to discover they have an expired passport right before they travel. As much as that will not be convenient, they have a way out. They have the option of using the mail or in-person renewal when it is a case of expedited passport renewal. They will have to fill out the application, make the necessary payments and submit the materials, along with the old passport, to the nearest renewal agency.

Many people opt for renewal by mail. The Department of State online portal shall post the estimated processing items for these passports so that the travelers can see how far theirs have gone. On it, you shall also have information on the expected fees, and the form to be filled, called “Passport by Mail.”

There are times when you cannot use the mail option. Those who have damaged passports of ones that are older than fifteen years cannot use this, for example. If you also changed names after the last time, you need to come in and show the changes. The same applies for those who got their last ones while younger than sixteen years.

As you are using the mail option, you need to confirm the fees to be paid, then contact the agency for where to direct it. In normal circumstances, you will be asked to put the Form DS-82, the old passport, and the rush fees in a manila envelope, unfolded, then include the word expedited on it, before sending it via courier to the agency.

The in-person renewal usually goes faster than the mail option. They need to call the nearest agency and book an appointment. They will be given a specific time to show up there. As you head for the appointment, you will have to carry all the necessary documents, as well as the rush fees. There should also be a travel ticket or other document showing the need for such a rushed process.

According to the law, the renewal process should not take more than five days to be started. It should therefore not take more than five days for your renewal process to begin being worked on. After those days, you should be able to monitor remotely the progress.

There are private expediters who can help out in this process. They shall charge extra on top of the renewal fees, but shall save you the hassle of tracking and doing paperwork. Exercise due diligence when dealing with them so as to avoid being swindled.

It is not easy having to deal with the stress of finding out you have an expired passport. A passport renewal is luckily not an impossibility, and quite fast.